Cutting Edge: The Child Sex Trade

Liviu Tipurita returns to his homeland of Romania to investigate stories he has heard that there has been a sudden rise in the trafficking of children into the sex trade. He meets an old friend, fifteen-year-old street kid Laurentiu, who tells him he’s been selling sex to foreign pedophiles since he was twelve, and that a wealthy German has bought him a passport so that he can be trafficked to the West. Laurentiu introduces Liviu to his gang of street kids, some as young as eleven, being preyed on by the pedophiles.

Liviu follows up stories of kids trafficked to Italy, and on the streets of Milan films a fourteen year old boy being pimped by his own father. Over weeks of investigation, several more cases of families selling their own children for sex are documented.

Back in Romania, he hears about an English pedophile/trafficker called Tom. Co-producer/director Andrew Smith infiltrates Tom’s pimping network, and films damning evidence of how underage boys are preyed upon and trafficked to wealthy pedophile clients in the West.

74 Comments / User Reviews

hmm, i saw this on television a while back and couldnt believe what I saw, I think I know this guy Tom pretty well, and some of his stories do place him there at those times, also the background in charity work.

Do you really know Tom Peters? How old is he now and what's he doing these days? I can't believe that pedophile got away! Not even the journalists reported him!

samh galal
- 03/04/2019 at 01:38

xxx children

GLaDOS
- 09/08/2017 at 18:40

I am not sure which I find more disturbing this Documentary or most of the Comments posted about it? All the wildly different viewpoints all missing the main points of this movie and taking a much to narrow view of everything.

Those making assumptions that Children are only being sold in Romania, some other Country not in good old USA! I can point out several cases that have happen just this week, even just today if you would care to investigate them? One ring has ties to the current President and his collection of wealthy Idiots. If your interested I suggest checking out, researching what is known as the Franklin Files, or Franklin Savings and Loan in Nebraska, it also is connected to the missing Paper boy Johnny" Gosch

Back to my main point, I used to work with street children, getting the off the streets and into care. Finding them shelter, jobs, food, clothes trying to get them education things to just stay alive day to day. Medical care is a major issue with no money and sex with creeps the only way to make it. Drug, Alcohol abuse soon fallows. Also violence, rape, other abuse.

What I am getting at is that this is not some 3rd World problem it is happening right here in America and will keep happening. As long as everything is about money and how it controls everything in our lives. Money is valued more then Human life and life is worth less then anything else.

Also each State in America needs the same Age of Consent in my State the age of Consent is 16, others its 18. Not too many years back it was 12 years old to get married and consent to have sex? WTF 12 year old could give consent to anything? At one time Delawares age of Consent was 7 years old explain how a child that age could consent to anything, let alone how anyone would want to have anything to do with a child that age is just disturbing on a whole different level.

Most 18 year olds have no idea about the long term consequence of sex, let alone getting married to someone. I worked at a Children's Psych units that had 26 patients, they were all registered Sex offenders. Ages 6-16 every one of those boy's had been molested as a child, some were sold\rented out by their parents many, many times before they could even walk. We are required to read their case histories, intakes, to better treat the boy's and to know what to watch out for, things like "RED FLAGS."

If one is getting ready to Rape or molest someone in the unit happened a lot at night, though some would sell sex for candy, soda, extra food, or even friendships too. Most of the boy's were molested by Straight Parents, or extended family Uncles, Cousins, some friends or friends of the family but almost all were molested by a blood relative at an average age of 2-7 years old. (An Average the youngest on record was 18 months)

When talking about the cycle of abuse and it repeating somethings that always goes on or you notice if you work in this area. Is that the boys were taken into custody because "The Abuse Cycle" They started repeating the same things that were done to them as victims that were done to them and sadly several of the Victims of the Boy's on the Unit had gone on to Rape, Moles other Children and were already taken into care and the process always repeats its self. (Victim of Molestation going on to become an Abuser and Victimizing other children in the same ways as was done to them.)

I could tell some disgusting, disturbing things that I had to read and listen to the kids talk about. But I won't they are just too hard to repeat and think about. We need to fix our problems here in American and then try to fix the rest of the World. I am not saying that we need to turn our back on the rest of the World and kick anyone out that is not like us, that seems to be the popular delusion right this minute.

But thinking that things like this never happen here or seldom do is a lie. America is just as bad, and in a lot of cases worse then other Countries you just don't see or hear about the things because its hidden or covered up to keep up that illusion of the Land of the Free, Home of the Brave!

Also one last comment none of the abusers or the abused identify as Gay. They were all married with children, Fathers, Uncles, Cousins, none were or are Gay. That is a myth and their are several very well credited studies to back that fact up including ones conducted by the FBI. Calling Pedos Fags, or Gay is an insult to Gay's and they are not the same thing and never will be. I have worked with several great gay support staff and had no issues or worries about any of them harming or molesting any of the kids on the unit. They were actually better at caring for the kids and the kids related better to the staff member not knowing who was what sexual identity just that they felt more comfortable dealing with them as humans.

All 26 of those kids will never get out of the Unit once they became a Registered Sex Offender and committed a level of offense they are committed for life. All other treatments have failed they are considered "Throw Aways" and are warehoused in inpatient hospitals, group homes, or if necessary Prisons. Once they stop being victims and start becoming Victimizers\Offenders their is nothing to do with them. Most will end up committing suicide after being warehoused for 10-30 years.

Imagine being locked up at age 5 and spending the rest of your life in Prison say 80+ years in a cage all because you were molested and took out the anger on someone else? (Not justifying or saying this is correct. At that age you have no idea about consequences. The person that molested gets off with good behavior and a good lawyer 5-7 years out of 15 year sentence)

Don't fly to Romania, or some other Country America has its own, Pimps, Pornographers, Molesters, Abusers, Scum of the Earth right here. Save your money and give it to a worthy charity that does its work here. But make sure the money actually goes to help not into someones pocket for things like "Administrative expense" that is a way of saying "I am paying myself 99.9% of all the money first" in other words being a thief or Scamming you. Give money to homeless shelters, clothes to charities that help the needy not to ones that sale them for profits.

I give money when I can to job training programs to get kids off the streets and into jobs, off drugs, drinking, things like that. Back in the day I would open up properties that were not rented out during the Winter just to get kids off the street so they would not freeze to death when it was snowing and below freezing at night. If anyone can remember that far back.

How can these Romanians walk by these homeless kids daily without batting an eye? No food, no home, sniffing solvent from a bag...this is Hell on Earth. And pedophiles from around the world are allowed to travel there and cruise for children openly. What a sick place. Kids should never have to live like this.

ok, I thought I had it tough... it s difficult to understand the desperation of these boys, getting in their shoes, being at the mercy of this tom character, and this other one at his father s, I never could imagine such things possible...

OMFG this is so sick these poor kids these guys who are working them should be killed no questions asked.If i was ritch i would go save them all if i could,how can this world allow this,Mankind maked me sick awe those poor children,These disgusting men you use if arrested once they should be shot,thats is end of story

shot? you re way too kind! they should be slaves themselves, and beaten everyday, or worse...

Jerry
- 12/05/2012 at 10:33

It is very sad to see these things happening in so called developed European countries. Authorities should do more to help these children who are in the streets. Mainly NGOs should play a big part in this part of the world rather than spending money on them for their own benefits. It is so sad since these kind of activities will lead the people from bad to worst.

This is one of the most touching documentaries i have watched. It makes me sick to see gay men do this. I think that no one can solve this problem until and unless people adopt islam, go by what the quran says which in this case. Death penalty for such crimes, and well raising of young boys and kids in general..but for now, i will just go pray for them. May allah help them, for he is the only one that can.

The boys are just desperate for money, and being brought up like that, its become normal for them. Shame of on humanity in our time. shame shame shame.

I watched up to 20 minutes and decided to stop. I currently am doing an English project that must revolve around an issue in which i decided to pick sex trafficking. Little did I know about how much of an impact it would leave upon me. I do not have the courage to continue watching this documentary and am on debating whether or not I should change my topic now. God bless the people who are unfortunate and must live horrible, disgusting, lives in order to see another day.

Good thing you stopped. I dont know how am going to live knowing that some one is being trafficked through each and every day that am living safe and sound, and not being able to do a thing but pray.

Amylee Williams
- 03/25/2012 at 17:15

OH GOD,I CANT STOP CRYING WATCHING THIS!!HOW CAN THAT SUBHUMAN CREEP TOM BE WALKING AROUND??!!AND THE {POLICE} WORRY ABOUT ILLEGAL ALIENS BUT NOT PIMPS???WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO?!I DONT EVEN WANT TO LIVE IN A WORLD LIKE THIS SOME DAYS,IT BREAKS MY HEART;THOSE POOR YOUNG MEN SNIFFING PAINT KILLING THEM SELVES DESTROYING THEIR PRECIOUS BRAINS..WE ARE QUICKLY DESTROYING EARTH AND HUMANITY,IT IS ABSOLUTELY TRAGIC AND DISGRACEFUL!!Come to AUS tom and see what we think of paedophiles here you skum!!!!!!!!!

i know,i cried and cried..just want to fly over and help them,if i wasnt a single mother i could and WOULD..THAT DISGUCTING TOM creep! **vomit*8 AND HE WENT OVER THRE AS A CHARITY WORKER IN AN ORPHANAGE??!!WHAT THE??!!

Sara tayeb
- 06/10/2012 at 20:21

Yeah, that was a big time wow. Just how evil, disgusting and cruel has this world become?

There shouldn't be a need of this filth and debauchery amongst our species. I'm disgusted with humanity. Truly I am... and I am more upset and frustrated that this embarrassment even occurs in the more well developing countries such as United States, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom etc, as well as in my own neighborhood (which by the way I do help out in any way I can on that matter). Whenever possible I do my part to help out end child abuse... anytime and anywhere. I wish I had a set of clones and scatter them throughout everywhere just so that no child is abused, neglected or forgotten.

long ago people used to give there kids to the church to be molested and sing in the choir with there balls cut off so they could be blessed with a good life...many many more examples of this in many ways can be seen through out history from all cultures even in today in some places ... and today people make comments like this that this is awful and like this is some new thing - many travesties in the world against all people gong on now - like all the wars going on all over the world and millions being killed displaced and kept in poverty and you all act like the a few kids having problems in romania is the travesty of the world ? get real -

There have been Wars the World over for centuries too - Thousands of years, starvation, disease and more. This with these children is a travesty and should be exposed. The children who are caring for themselves here in the USA while their parents are free-basing or shooting up aren't going to get any help either, but that should also be better exposed. The reason there is and never will be help for such children is the very reason for these other travesties you allude to - The greedy people who control the vast amount of wealth and power in the World - who happen to be the people who are behind these World problems. It's called Social Stratification placed and controlled by the few who have set things up to remain the way things are. The Wars, the poverty, and even the drug problems are all orchestrated by these powerful few in order to keep us all keeping them powerful and rich. And I beg to differ with you about "All cultures". No, there are some cultures - usually the poorest and most simple who still are the hunter and gatherers - they are the least like us and the most happy.

Yusiley S
- 08/26/2011 at 10:02

Very well said. Thank you.

One_not_Two_or_More
- 08/05/2011 at 04:44

you're a gay pedo dude. get real. lol

One_not_Two_or_More
- 08/05/2011 at 04:50

I am convinced you are a sick evil child molestor trying to defend your sick mind by degrading the truth about the evil sex trade.

Yusiley S
- 08/26/2011 at 10:00

Um... not one bit of a comment stated that the issues in Romania is the travesty of the world or more important than the other travesties in other countries. People are commenting that the issue of Pedophilia and sex trafficking of children is a travesty of the world... though I prefer to use the statement that it's a travesty and embarrassment of our species. I agree it's not the only issue we must face and solve, but for some people it's a good place to start. Clearly you have no heart for helping the matter, otherwise you wouldn't be insulting people who are sympathizing and are most likely helping, so f^ck off.

Emma Louise Johnston
- 05/03/2011 at 21:47

These children are beautiful. Such tragic circumstances... they should have had the fair start in life all children to deserve! I so wish the death penalty was back for these evil digusting perverted men that take advantage of such vulnerable children.

Breakdown of society World Wide Scale - Began with the breakdown of the family and took off from there - many many years... Money and Power rule the World and those in charge of it are the World rulers - they don't care about these children - there is enough resources and money the worldwide for everyone but there are a handful of greedy bastards that want it all for themselves. Look to Wall Street in NYC, and the largest Corporations - you will find they are all behind what happens in the World. And behind how things will turn out for the rest of us. And yes, they don't care. They have no souls, no empathy, and no conscience - in comparison to the World population, it really is true that a few bad apples can spoil the whole barrel. kat

Yusiley S
- 08/26/2011 at 10:07

It says that we have a long... long... very long way to go before we can officially call ourselves a superior race of beings on planet Earth.

middleasterngirl
- 11/20/2010 at 00:25

its so sad.. how could the father selling his little kid like that? i mean if i had nothing to eat.. if i would die i would never ever do that to my son. poor kids :(

I cannot believe there is doubt in this film and in child sex trade and prostitution, it is as old as prostitution itself. Who do you think they were having sex with in Greece 2000 years ago. Pederasts, usually the higher in society would actually be delivered a male child for these men, these educated, wealthy men who would care for the children and educate them giving them a life their parents would want in return it was widely known that they usually became lovers, sex partners. Only back then, the child had the power of choice and was always on the 'power' end of any sex. Since then, as humanity has degraded, these are no longer children to which a man will bring enlightenment and promise of a future, they are just 'holes' for rent.

This is disgusting to me. They are object and this Tom is vulgar with his tongue wagging. It's one thing to feel you are a victim of your unnatural impulses towards children and teens, it's another to relish and wallow in your hedonism. These are not the children of Greece who didn't feel guilty or bad about what they did because it was somewhat normal, so there was no mental scarring. These kids know it's wrong and they mask it with masks of huffing agents and drug and kill themselves for what they do. And what do their countrymen and women do, they ignore them. They are invisible. They are rats on the street to be step on if cannot avoid. I've seen in films children 5 years old alone and nobody cares what happens.

We are in a world of people who see nothing. The emperor use to wear no clothing, now it's the children of places like Romania, Mexico, Prague, etc., some places where all you have to do is pick out what you want by the color of the drapes. If blue, boy, pink it's a girl. And in many countries, kids, usually boys are pimping out girls, pre-teen mostly.

Shame on those who think this is just sensationalism and untrue. You need to go there and see for yourself. Or those in the USA, go to Portland, go to New York, you will find them if you look hard.

These sick people hide on the underbelly of the internet and meet and discuss and plot to squeeze the lifeforce from these children. He talks like they WANT the sex when he talks of one having an erection. That is nothing more than puberty. If your penis thinks it's time to have sex, it gets erect, nothing more. They are tricked by their bodies and these men think it's a sign they are having fun when you can see the emptiness in their eyes as they huff and starve and sell their poor bodies.

Now some said they would kill before pimping out a kid, but I must say this is apples and oranges. I myself would prefer to rob and steal than pimp my child out. I would do any crime other than murder to save from even thinking to sell my child. I would consider letting them be filmed nude for money if I was that Italian guy and he did show SOME concern at least, whereas most don't care at all. It's one thing to have child having one sided sex where they are not being buggered and God knows what else, it's another to be like most of these people who don't care if you get off on strangling little boys. You that don't believe need to wake up and do a little research and just check out how many children DISAPPEAR? every year just in the USA. So imagine what happens in places where the cops pull you over in a place where boys are pimped and they just care if your visa is valid. Heh. Sad.

Bless these children, and the mny documentary and journalists who are getting the news out about this pandemic that knows no boundaries and is found in all cultures through history but only now has it become so violent and objectified, only now are these children aware of what is happening to them and the social implications of that. Not to mention the 'virus effect' of pedophilia where if it was done to you, often you may do it to others. It spreads.

God help them and humanity. Christ comes back as the Lion you know to purify with flame. Wilt thou pass the test unharmed? I hope so and pray for us all and for these kids who are slowly dying in a world that only cares about money and feeling good in sex or drug or drink. Hedonism, our secret selves, none are safe.

This is one of the saddest things I have ever watched. At times during the documentary I actually felt physically ill. Horrible. I know a lot about the child sex slave industry in many countries, however, I have NEVER heard of someone directly prostituting their own children. Woah, I will have night terrors tonight.

I cant begin to express how very disgusted I am with humanity, No one cares about these children. They could be murdered and no one would look for them. How is it that Romania, Italy, and other countries can turn such a blind eye to what is happening to these children that are no longer children anymore thanks to the pedophiles that pray on them and the community that couldn't give a s@#$. It is so very hard to adopt a child yet I would gladly adopt one of these children that no one seems to care for. I truly hate the world we live in.

This is one of the most shocking videos I've seen! It makes it look so easy to track down a paedophile... Anyone knows if Tom is arrested yet? What more information about him would you even need?
It occurred to me though that while it's obviously terrible and unethical, the children are not necessarily simply abuse victims... I mean, without prostitution they may starve and die!

Apparently there's an international arrest warrant out for him, but he's hiding somewhere in the world and the world's a big place. And of course this sort of thing has gone on since the year dot, but it's still monstrous. The trouble is that most of the children featured were doing it volunatarily so to speak.
If you want to do anything about this sort of thing, you really have to tackle poverty and deprivation. I suppose if I were starving and sleeping rough, I'd probably sell my body if it meant I could eat.

simon
- 04/27/2010 at 09:22

romania!!! I think your missing the point ... just because you have been to romania and loved your little holiday ..dosnt mean that this thing dosnt go on.... yeah Ny .. Uk ... allaround the world there will be Evil things happening ... this issue is one thing I can never understand ... drugs gangs homelessness n all that dark stuff .. I can understand .. but this stuff ... still makes me crossed eyed .... trying to save the enviroment ... oooo the ice burges r mellting ... lets blow up iraq for its oil .... NO LETS SORT THESE CUNTS OUT FIRST !!!!!!

Aj, the truth is this IS Romania. I have lived there for most of my life, and in the city this is the life of street children. I didn't see it much in the city i lived in, (Brasov), but in Bucharest it is very common to see such lifestyle- unfortunetly.

I'm not real sure why the guy wants to concentrate on foreign pedophiles when there are Romanian pedophiles too and no doubt a lot more of them. The foreigners are no worse then the Romanians. They are all evil.

I know a woman who was pimped by her dad at truck stops (in the US) when she was 16.

romanians are not evil. Everyone is different, each country has different type of people. you can not judge someone by its background.

gaz
- 10/16/2009 at 04:39

this is the saddest most disturbing doc iv seen, why is this allowed to happen?? How a parent can even think about selling his children to these sick twisted perverted scum is beyond me, as for that sicko tom peters i hope he gets his throat slit with a rusty blade..

Very sad - this is predicted in the Holy Quran. It says that in the end times (could be last thousand years for the Earth's life even) you will see the mother cow trying to nurse from the calf - you will be appalled and revolted by all you will see.

Ebony
- 10/12/2009 at 04:34

Oh God. These poor babies.I feel so terrible for them. Why do they not wish to be saved?! Is this all they know? My goodness....

I apprised the hole team ,especially director and concept writer, you show the dark site of greedy people who abused children for sex, child sex trade is not only in Romania greedy people do every part in world, nice documentary ,God bless u.

This is true, it goes on, I feel sorry for these kids. I am not sure why and how they got on the street's, but without pervert's it's hard enough to live on the streets. The kids don't have a choice because they need money, and it is one of the ways to make it, other than doing crimes. The people who condone this and take part in it deserve to die a slow death.

Oh aj sounds like yer defending the perverts. Ask them poor kids if they think its a bunch of c***. The men who prey on these kids should be castrated and have their hands n tongues chopped off so they cant physically touch another kid again. Why so defensive are you one of the sex tourists? Liviu is a well known documentary maker n much respected and am damn sure he wouldn't waste time on something that was a pack of lies. Grow up smell the coffee. These poor kids go thru this every day. Are you condoning it?